connection between mindfullness diaphragmatic breathing

The Connection between Mindfulness and Diaphragmatic

Breathing

Purpose

: The purpose of this assignment is to explore the relationship between mindfulness and diaphragmatic

breathing in reducing stress in the academic and clinical areas. Additionally, you will examine the physiologic

rationale for teaching diaphragmatic breathing to patients who have the diagnosis of COPD. (Chronic

Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) There are 2 portions/parts to the assignment: a reflective writing portion and a

question portion.

Please read and view the information in the Document Folder. Please read them in numerical order.

Assignment Objectives:

Upon completion this activity the student will be able to

1.

Define the term mindfulness.

2.

Demonstrate the technique of diaphragmatic breathing

3.

Relate the practice of mindfulness to diaphragmatic breathing.

4.

Describe how these practices reduce stress and anxiety while taking a test.

5.

Describe the physiologic benefits of diaphragmatic breathing for the pulmonary patient.

Reflective Writing:

Please complete the reading assignment for mindfulness, watching the video and practice diaphragmatic

breathing technique for a minimum of 3 days.

After completing these requirements, please respond to the

following questions:

1)

How did this practice affect you, any positive or negative impacts you would like to share?

2)

How does this practice bring an increased sense of awareness within you?

3)

Is there a way to apply increased mindfulness in your everyday life? Can you practice belly breathing

while on the bus, while waiting for the green light in traffic, while walking, while standing in line,

during a formal presentation, during an exam?

4)

Consider the chapter titled The Power of Mindfulness. How does the practice of diaphragmatic

breathing relate to this? Describe your island.

This assignment should be a minimum of three paragraphs of four sentences and a maximum of five paragraphs

of four sentences. Please be sure to use APA citation if you use any sources. Submit your work as a Word

document.

1

Questions:

Using the articles posted in your assignment folder, please answer the following questions:

1.

Discuss the effects that stress and anxiety have on the body.

2.

Discuss the effects of diaphragmatic breathing on the sympathetic nervous system?

3.

Discuss the positive physiologic effects of diaphragmatic breathing on the patients with COPD.

(Diaphragmatic breathing helps/reduces which signs and/or symptoms experienced by COPD patient?)

4.

Discuss the negative physiologic effects of diaphragmatic breathing on the patients with COPD.

(Diaphragmatic breathing does not help/or worsens which signs and/or symptoms experienced by the

COPD patient?)

5.

What impact will this information and experience with diaphragmatic breathing have on your clinical

practice? What changes in clinical practice will you implement?

Your answers to each question should be one paragraph of four to five sentences. Please sure to use APA

citation if you use any sources. Submit your work as a Word document. https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/biblical-meditation/

PMR SBS (Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Step By Step)

Once you are comfortably supported in a quiet place, follow the instructions for each

muscle group below (or just listen along to your recording):

1)

To begin, take three deep abdominal breaths, exhaling slowly each time. As you exhale,

imagine that tension throughout your body begins to flow away.

2)

Clench your

left fist

. Hold for 7-10 seconds, and then release for 15-20 seconds. Repeat

with the

right fist

. (Use the same time intervals for all muscle groups.)

3)

Tighten your

forearms

by straightening your fingers and pointing them at the ceiling, then

back towards your body. Hold…and then relax.

4)

Tighten your

biceps

by drawing your forearms up towards your shoulders and making a

m

uscle. Hold…and then relax.

5)

Shrug your

shoulders

up towards your ears, tightening the muscles. Hold…and then relax.

6)

Wrinkle up your

forehead

and brow, focusing on the tension in the muscles…and then relax.

7)

Squeeze your

eyes

shut as tightly as you can, feeling the tension in the muscles around the

eyes. Hold…and then relax.

8)

Clench your

jaw

, hard, flexing the muscles in your jaw and cheek. Hold…and then relax.

9)

Press your

lips

together tightly, pursing them so the muscles around your mouth

tighten…and then allow them to relax.

10)

Press your head back against the chair or bed, hard, feeling the tension in the

back of your

neck

. Hold…and then relax.

11)

Allow your head to fall forward, as though trying to bury your chin in your chest, and feel the

tension in the

front of your neck

. Hold…and then allow your head to fall back, very naturally.

12)

Arch your back, sticking out your chest, and feel the tension in your

upper back

…and relax.

13)

Take a deep breath and hold it, feeling the tightness in the muscles around your

chest

.

Hold it…and then relax, breathing deeply from the abdomen.

14)

Tighten the muscles of your

stomach

, making the stomach very hard. Hold…and relax.

15)

Stretch both of your legs, straight out in front of you, until you can feel the tension in the

backs of your

thighs

. Hold…and then relax.

16)

Tense both

calf muscles by stretching your feet and pointing your toes up toward your